CHICAGO, April 16, 2012 — Transitions Optical, Inc. educated more than 1,000 attendees about the importance of regular eye care and the benefits of adaptive Transitions® lenses during the American Diabetes Association EXPO in Chicago on April 14. The company teamed up with retailer America’s Best to provide 245 free vision screenings and to educate attendees about the role that comprehensive eye exams play in detecting and preventing future eye damage from diabetes. Transitions Optical also participated in the Diabetes EXPO in March at the Los Angeles Convention Center, reaching an additional 1,000 attendees with eye health information.

“The number of cases of diabetes and related eye damage is on the rise in the United States – particularly among African-American and Hispanic populations,” said Manuel Solis, multicultural marketing manager, Transitions Optical. “Unfortunately, our research has shown that these groups don’t always know they’re at risk – or they’re not scheduling regular eye exams. The American Diabetes Association events have provided an excellent platform to educate those who already have diabetes and encourage them to take steps to preserve their eye health.”

A 2008 global healthy sight survey from Transitions Optical revealed that only half of people with diabetes are aware that vision problems are a side effect of the disease. Additionally, the survey found that four out of 10 people with diabetes are not getting regular eye exams.